A family member is the latest plaintiff to file a hernia repair lawsuit against the makers of the PerFix mesh plug, alleging that defects caused dangerous injuries for her late husband.

Plaintiff Kelli H. has initiated the lawsuit on behalf of herself individually as well as the estate of a deceased husband as a result of problems with his PerFix mesh plug hernia repair, a problem she says that her husband should have been warned about before undergoing surgery.

The lawsuit says that the PerFix mesh plug hernia repair caused devastating injuries for Kelli’s husband who received it and had no reason to believe that the side effects would be severe, disabling and life changing.

The Bard PerFix mesh plug hernia repair lawsuit points out that the manufacturers of this medical device received approval from the Food and Drug Administration using the fast track 510(k) application process. The plaintiff, however, alleges that the PerFix mesh plug hernia repair is linked to numerous problems for patients as a result of the use of polypropylene mesh in the product.

The lawsuit alleges that scientific evidence indicates that this material is biologically incompatible with human tissue and can cause a severe immune reaction in patients undergoing PerFix mesh plug hernia repair.

The lawsuit says that the defendants knew about these dangers associated with the PerFix mesh plug hernia repair but failed to disclose them to the medical community. This means that patients allegedly were not able to make informed decisions about these products.

In February 2008, according to the lawsuit, Kelli’s husband underwent a PerFix mesh plug hernia repair operation. The lawsuit alleges that Kelli’s husband was not informed of the known complications and risks with the PerFix mesh plug hernia repair, nor was he warned about the dangers or defective nature of the medical device.

In November 2016, Kelli says, her husband had to go through an additional invasive surgical procedure related to his PerFix mesh plug hernia repair. Unfortunately, he allegedly sustained significant suffering and physical pain in addition to emotional distress and mental anguish. Kelli says that she and her husband also incurred significant medical bills and other expenses due to the defective hernia patch.

According the lawsuit, Kelli’s husband and his doctors did not have appropriate information to make an informed decision about whether or not to receive this device.

Hernia mesh is frequently used in surgical procedures for the purpose of helping to reconstruct the chest wall, treating surgical wounds, and for hernia repair. Certain hernia mesh models, however, have come under scrutiny in recent years by patients who say they suffered preventable and painful side effects following implantation.

Some of the most common side effects reported by patients following hernia repair include renal failure, intestinal fistulas, mesh erosion, ulcers, organ perforation, allergic reactions, and bowel obstruction.

The PerFix Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-01481-EAS-KAJ; filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.